Apparatus for dyeing and treating cloth



May 25, 1948.

S. CONVERSE APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND TREATING CLOTH Filed Oct. 10, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SHEIZMAN Com/E1255 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY y 25, 1948- I CONVERSE 2,441,992

APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND TREATING CLOTH Filed Oct. 10, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 SHERMAN CONVERSE INVENTQR.

7 1 7-2 BY a A TTORNEY May 25, 1948. s. CONVERSE APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND TREATING CLOTH 4 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Oct. 10, 1946 SHERMAN Com/fess INVENTOR.

BY M, v

ATTORNEY May 25, 1948- s. CONVERSE 2,441,992

APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND TREATING CLOTH Filed Oct. 10, 1946 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M SHERMAN Co/vvE/asE h 17 BY ATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1948 APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND TREATING CLOTH Sherman Converse, Granitevllle, S. C.

Application October 10, 1946, Serial No. 702,531

13 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for the continuous high temperature development of vat colors which have been padded on cloth and the like in either the pigment or the reduced state. The invention comprises means for producing special conditions which accomplish desirable results with certain types of vat colors and on certain types of material which are not accomplished by any existing method or apparatus. This apparatus, as will presently be described, will produce smooth, uniform dyeings of maximum fastness to laundering with all types of vat dyestuffs on all types of cellulosic material, including unmercerized as well as mercerized cotton. k

It is a well known fact in the trade that short time, high temperature development of vat colors will produce dyeings having superior fastness to laundering than those produced by longer development at medium or low temperatures. For example, any vat color developed at a temperature of 212 F. or more for seconds will be faster to laundering than the same dyestuff developed for 2-5 minutes at temperatures up to 180 F. and will be at least equal in fastness to the same dyestuif developed at temperatures up to 180 F. for 30 minutes or longer, as on a jig. It is also a well known fact in the trade that vat dyestuffs of the classes represented by Indanthrene Blue GCD, color index number 1113, and Ponsol Blue BCS, color index number 1114, cannot be satisfactorily applied by bringing the material to be dyed in contact with a high temperature dye bath containing these dyestuffs in the reduced state, as the high temperature at least partially destroys the dyestuff and, therefore, its true shade cannot be obtained. For example, the maximum temperature'at which any of the dyestuffs included in the classes mentioned above will stand indefinitely in the reduced state with no appreciable decomposition is 120 F. The higher the temperature and the longer the time, the greater the decomposition.

It is a further less well known but nevertheless demonstrable fact that when vat dyes are applied on unmercerized cotton by methods designed to give maximum fastn'ess to laundering of the dyestufi, the so-called dead cotton" or immature fibre, which is present to a greater or cloth, squeezed, dried, passed through a reducing bath, squeezed, and then passed directly into a high temperature atmosphere, such as an atmosphere of steam, the resultant dyeing will show white specks of undyed "dead cotton. If a vat dye in the reduced state is padded on unmercer= ized cotton cloth, squeezed, and passed directly into a high temperature atmosphere, the resultcreases the afiinity of the immature fibre for vat dyestuffs, thus on mercerized material the dyeing of this immature fibre presents no serious problem.

My apparatus provides a means of producing dyeings of maximum fastness to laundering with all types of vat dyestuffs including the blue dyestufls mentioned above and also of producing dyeings on unmercerized cotton goods which'are free from the defect of white specks caused by undyed immature fibre. These are important advantages inasmuch as large amounts of the types of blue dyestuffs mentioned above are used in the industry and large amounts of unmercerized cotton are dyed, and it is highly desirable that maximum fastness to laundering be produced and that the defect of "dead cotton specks in unmercerized vat dyed cotton goods be avoided. I Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a front elevation with parts in section and shown substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional detailed view through the entrance port, together with associated parts along line 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section and showing a portion of one end of one of the sealing troughs associated with the entrance and exit ports.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral It! indicates broadly the steam ager compartment having front end wall rear end wall l2, a. bottom l3, a top I4, and side walls l and I6. All of these portions except the bottom are covered with a suitable insulation material indicated broadly at H. The compartment formed by the side walls, end walls, top and bottom, has an entrance port 20 and an exit port 2|. These ports are sumciently wide to take care of any width of cloth which passes through the troughs associated therewith.

Projecting forwardly from the front wall H is a pair of supports 22 and 23 which support a pad box 25 in which dyestufl' is maintained at a constant level by suitable constant level mechanism, not shown, the dyestufi entering the trough 25 through a pipe 26. Mounted for rotation in the pad box 25 is an immersion roller 21 beneath which the cloth C passes at it travels through the pad box. Immediately above and slightly forwardly of the pad box 25, are squeeze rolls 28 and 29, the top or nip roll 28 being mounted in suitable slotted brackets 36 disposed on the supports 22 and 23'. The brackets 30 have, associated therewith, adjustable tension or pressure applying means, such as coil springs 3| which are compressed against shaft bearings 32 by manually operated screws 32a. The nip r011 28, being thus mounted, can be adjusted, in relation to driven roll 29, to apply the desired amount of pressure to the cloth C as it passes therebetween to press the dye solution into the cloth. Also mounted on the supports '22 and 23 are uprising brackets 33 in which a roller 34 is mounted for rotation and over which the cloth passes before it enters the trough at the entrance port. The bottom squeeze roll 29 has one end of its bearing shaft 35 extending beyond the associated support 23 and has a sprocket wheel 36 secured thereon, on which is mounted a sprocket chain 31, which sprocket chain is mounted on a suitable sprocket secured on the end of motor shaft 38 of an electric motor 39 by means of which rotation is imparted to the lower squeeze roll 29, which in turn, drives the upper squeeze roll 28.

Mounted immediately outside of the entrance port 20 is a trough for containing a booster liquid and having an outer arcuate wall 40 and an inner arcuate portion 4| spaced from each other by having end plates 43 welded to the ends and having a plate 44 welded between the top front portions of the inner and outer troughs and the rear upper edges of the inner and outer troughs 40 and 4| have plates 45 and 46 welded thereto with plate 41 closing the space therebetween, the end walls 43 closingthe ends of the plate 45 and 46, thus providing an apron portion of the trough which extends into the interior of the steam aging box. Mounted for rotation in the inner trough 4| is a hollow roll 56 beneath which the cloth passes as it enters the steam aging box. Also mounted in the entrance port 25 are the nip roll-s 5| and 52 through which the cloth passes after it enters the steam aging box and after it passes out of the reducing solution in the trough at the entrance opening.

The top roll 5| is oomparaively of light weight and has its end portions mounted in suitable slots 53 in brackets 54 secured to the end portions of the entrance port 20. The inner wall H has a plate member projecting forwardly and then downwardly into the trough 4|, this downwardly projecting portion being indicated by reference character 55. The lower end of portion 55 is below the liquid level in the trough 4| and thus provides an air seal for entrance port 20.

The portion 55 is metallic and has secured on the outside thereof and extending transversely across the'exterior of the apparatus a distance, say of approximately equal to the width of the entrance port 26, a member having a top wall 56 and a bottom wall 51 and a front wall 56, the portions 56 and 51 being welded to the portion 55 to prow'de a closed container 6|] through which a cooling liquid is adapted to be passed and also a cooling liquid is adapted to be passed between the troughs 46 and 4| and between the walls 45 and 46 and immersion roll 5|], as will be presently described.

The cloth, after leaving the nip rolls 5| and 52, passes beneath an idler roller 62 mounted for rotation in brackets 63 secured to the side walls i5 and I6 of the steam aging box.

Near the top of the compartment I0 and secured to the side walls l5 and I6 are strips 65 and 66 in which a plurality of top rolls 5'! are mounted for rotation, the shafts 68 on which these top rolls are mounted extending out of one of the side walls, such as side wall l6, and each of these shafts 66 has a sprocket wheel 10 mounted thereon and a sprocket chain 1| engages all of these sprocket wheels 10.

Also mounted on the shaft 68 of the first or forward top roll is a sprocket wheel 13 on which a sprocket chain 14 .is mounted, said sprocket chain 14 being also mounted on a suitable sprocket wheel 15 secured on shaft 35 of the lower squeeze roll 29. By this means the electric motor 39 not only drives the squeeze rolls 28 and 29 but positively drives all of the top rolls 6'! in the steam ager.

Mounted a substantial distance above the bottom of the compartment and secured to the side walls l5 and I6 thereof are strips 11 and 18 in which bottom rolls are rotatably mounted. The cloth, after passing beneath roller 62, passes over the first top roll 61 and beneath the first bottom roll 80 and then up and down for the desired number of times,. depending upon the amount of time it is required to keep the cloth in the ager to properly develop the dye'stuff thereon. A portion of or all of the top and bottom rolls can have the cloth passed therearound or the number of rolls may be increased and the length of the compartment may be increased to secure the desired results in keeping the cloth in the compartment the desired length of time. After the cloth passes over the last top roll 61, it passes downwardly to approximately the same level as the exit port 2| and goes beneath a roll 8| mounted in brackets 82 secured to the interior surfaces of the two side walls l5 and I6. The cloth then passes over an idler roll 83 disposed in the exit port 2| and then beneath an immersion roll 50' in the trough for holding the booster liquid associated with the exit port, said trough being identical to the trough at the entrance port 20, but having its apron portion on the exterior of the chamber l0, and like reference characters will apply with the prime notation added.

Secured to the exterior of the back end wall l2 are vertically slotted brackets 85 and 86 in which upper and lower squeeze rolls 8! and 88 are mounted and through which the cloth passes after it emerges from the exit trough associated with the exit port 2|. The cloth, after passing between the squeeze rolls 8'! and 88, goes to other suitable apparatus for further treating, such as oxidizing, soaping, washing and drying in the conventional manner.

The immersion rolls 50 and 50' in the sealing troughs at the entrance and exit port are hollow and have extending from each end thereof a nipple 90 (Figure 6) which extends into suitable housings 9| fixedly secured in the brackets 22 and 23 and end walls 43 of the troughs and to these housings 8| are secureda pipe 92 which extends from one end of the trough, and a pipe 22a, which extends from the other end of the trough, and thelse pipes 92 and 92a are suitably connected aswill presently bedescribed. This is a conventional rotary joint and is known as the Johnson rotary pressure joint which permits the pipe 80 and the roller 60 associated there- ,with to rotate in the fixed housing 9| so that a cooling liquid can pass through entrance pipe 82,

and pipe 80, and flow through the interior of the.

iaigimersion rolls 60 and 50', and out through pipes The compartment III has an exit pipe 93 with an adjustable vane 84 therein for regulating the output of air or steam from the interior thereof and, in order to withdraw any surplus steam vapor from the interior of this compartment, I mount in this pipe 93 a fan 95 driven by a belt 88 which, in turn, is driven by an electric motor 91 mounted on a suitable shelf 98 on the exterior oi the machine and having its shaft extending through to the interior of the housing.

In order to create steam vapors within the compartment, I run into the compartment a suitable quantity of water I to a proper level. Water is admitted to the compartment from a main-water line Id! and through a branch pipe m2 and branch pipe I03 extending therefrom which has a manually controlled valve I04 therein and the pipe we passes on into the interior of the compartment and has a discharge opening I05 for discharging water into the bottom of the compartment. This water is heated, preferably to the boiling point, so as to create steam vapor by means of a steam coil I08 receiving its supply of steam through an entrance pipe I01 connected to a suitable steam supply, not shown, and after passing through the coil I06 the steam passes through a trap I08 and through pipe we back to the source of steam.

The various cooling jackets, such as all, so, 59

' the entrance and exit ports. When the temperature of the booster solution in the trough reaches a predetermined point, water will be admitted to these jackets in the following manner:

A pipe He is tapped oil at the junction point of pipes I02 and Hit and leads through an air operated diaphragm valve III and a pipe H2 is connected to one end of jacket 60. Pipe H3 taps ofl of pipe iI2 and is connected by a T to the left hand or inflow pipe 82 leading to the immersion roll 60 in the trough associated with the entrance port. A pipe H4, connected to pipe H3, penetrates the lowermost or outer trough 40 near one end thereof to admit water into the jacket 59. A pipe H5 leads out of the bottom of trough 40 near the other end and leads up and is connected to pipe 92a by a T II8. Pipe II1 extends upwardly from T H8 and is connected to a waste pipe H8, and waste pipe H8 is also connected to the right hand end of the jacket 80 as shown in Figure 2. Water is supplied to the Jackets '59, the immersion roll 50', and the jacket 60' at the exit port 2I in a like the same manner as at the entrance port and.

manner as described for port 20, in that a pip I20 is tapped off of pipe I02 as at I2I and ex-- tends along the outer surface of the housing I0 and downward on the exit side where it is connected to pipe 2'. It is also connected to the immersion roll 50' and the jacket 49' in exactly someof these connections are not shown but where shown will bear like reference characters with the prime notation added.

The amount of water flowing through the jackets 59, 60, and the immersion roll 58 is controlled by there being disposed in the trough 4| a temperature responsive element I25 which has a pipe I28 associated therewith which leads to a conventional temperature control housing I21. There is a suitable source of compressed air I30 from which a pipe I8I leads and this pipe has a manually controlled valve I32 therein which leads into the housing I21. When a predetermined rise in temperature is reached, air is allowed to pass through conventional mechanism in the housing I21 and through a pipe I33 to air controlled diaphragm valve III to increase the flow of water through the jackets 59 and 80 and the immersion roll 50. The flow of water through the jackets 59, 60 and immersion roll 50' is controlled in similar fashion as described for and 59', and the interior of immersion rolls to jackets 59, 60 and roll 50, in that a pipe I3I' is connected to air supply pipe MI and leads through a valve I32, into a temperature control housing I21 and from housing I21 a pipe 93 leads to a diaphragm valve III. The trough M has, disposed therein, a heat responsive element I25 having a pipe I26 leading to the housin I21.

The liquid level in the entrance trough, of the booster solution, is maintained in a constant manner by means of there being an open ended gooseneck pipe I35 disposed therein which goes up past one end of the trough and downwardly to a pipe I36 which has a manually controlled valve I31 therein. Disposed between valve I31 and pipe i3! is a pipe I33. Pipe 136 is connected to a housing I40 which is a conventional Taylor liquid level controller. Leading from this housing Mil is an air pipe I4I which is connected to an air operated diaphragm valve Idt disposed in a pipe I43 which is connected to water pipe 563. Extending from pipe M3 is a plurality of branch pipes M5 which penetrate in a water-tight mannor the outer trough 6i! and also penetrates the trough All to allow additional water to pass into the trough M when required. Pipe MS has a waste pipe 36 connected thereto with a marin ally operable valve I61 therein for wasting the solution from the troughs ll and ti when desired as when a change from one dyeing operation to another or to another color or dye takes place.

Although it is not necessary to have a constant level mechanism for the trough M at the exit port, because the heavy squeeze rolls will take a greater amount of liquid out of the cloth than the squeeze rolls associated with the entrance trough, however, there is provided a means for maintaining a constant level in trough 4| as follows: The troughs 4i and 4|, which are mounted at the same elevation, have feed pipes I45 and I45 connected respectively thereto which are, in turn, connected to supply pipes I 43 and I43, respectively. I provide liquid communication from pipe I 43 to pipe I43 by connecting, thereto, a pipe I50, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. The liquid in trough 4| will, therefore, have comnected to main water supply pipe- IOI.

munication with the liquid in trough 4| and the level of the liquid in both troughs will remain the same. By providing a liquid level controller in trough 4|, as previously described, the liquid level in trough 4| will also be maintained.

If desired, the exit trough 4I' could be supplied with water, independently of trough 4I, by having its associated pipe I43 connected directly to main supply pipe IN and the liquid level could be maintained by use of control means, such as described for trough 4|.

When one dye operation is finished and it is desired to change to another color'of dye, it is necessary to cleanse the top and bottom rolls over which the cloth passes. I have provided means for accomplishing this result by providing a system of piping for supplying a cleaning fluid and also for supplying water to cleanse and wash the top and bottom rolls and this water is also employed for cooling the top and bottom rolls,

which are usually metallic structure, when it is desired to cool down the interior of the ager for the passing of another batch of clothv therethrough, or when there is a strip out.

On top of the ager I mount a tank I55 having a pipe I56 leading therefrom to a centrifugal pump I51, driven by a motor I58 directly connected thereto and the output pipe I59 leads from the pump I51 and has a manually controlled valve I60 therein. Pipe I59 leads into a pipe I6I con- This pipe I6I above the junction point with pipe I59 has a manually controlled valve I62 therein.

Immediately below the junction point of pipes I50 and IIiI is tapped off a horizontally extending pipe I63 which has a plurality of pipes I64 connected thereto which extend above the top rolls 61 entirely across the machine and through the opposite wall I6 and are suitably plugged as at I66. In the lower portions of these pipes I64 is a plurality of perforations whereby fluid from tank I55 or water from pipe I6I can be forced through these perforations onto the top rolls. The pipe I6I extends downwardly and has a pipe I68 connected thereto which has transversely extending perforated pipes I69 and I10 extending therefrom across the machine immediately above the idler roll 62 and the top nip roll 5|. These have perforations alined to project sprays of liquid onto these respective rolls.

Pipe I68 then extends downwardly and has a horizontal portion I12 connected thereto from which projects the perforated pipes I13 which extend all the way across the machine and are plugged at their outer ends in the same manner as the pipes I64. These pipes have perforations along their lower surface and are disposed immediately above the bottom rolls 80 so as to project the liquid onto these bottom rolls 80. The pipe I12 then extends upwardly and has a transverse perforated pipe I14 which is perforated along its lower side and disposed immediately above the roll 8|. The pipe I12 also has a transversely projecting pipe I15 which is perforated on its lower left side in Figure 3 so as to project a plurality of sprays of liquid onto the roller 83.

When a batch of cloth has been run through the ager and it is desired to clean the rolls and cool the rolls, and with no cloth on the rolls, the valve I62 is closed and valve I60 is opened and pump I51 is started in operation and a cleaning fluid from tank I55 is projected onto all of the rolls to clean'the same. Then, if desired, the

valve I60 can be closed, pump I51 stopped, valve I62 opened, and cold water can be passed through .certain concentration is maintained.

the same perforated pipes for cooling and was ing all of the rolls.

Since certain dyes, as above mentioned, cannot stand high temperature dye baths and in view of the fact that best results can be obtained in aging the cloth at high temperature, it is, therefore, important that dyestuff in the two sealing troughs be kept at a very low temperature of around F. to F. and that is why the water cooled jackets and the water cooled immersion rolls are so important. Since part of the liquid in the sealing troughs is in contact with the high temperature atmosphere of the steam chamber, a large cooling area is necessary to keep the temperature of the reduced dye solution in the troughs down to the required 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit which is required for certain types of vat dyes. The cloth which hasbeen padded in the dyestuif solution or suspension in pad box 25 is directed through the machine in the manner herein described.

The main purpose of the jackets 60 and 60' is to cool the liquid which is squeezed from the cloth by the rolls 5I and 52, and 81 and 88, and also the upwardly sloping extensions 45 and 46 of the troughs 40 and H are also for catching any dripping of the reducing solution removed by these squeeze rolls to cool it before it gets back into the reducing troughs where the immersion rollers are disposed.

The nip rolls SI and 52 over the entrance trough are sufficiently light to insure that the cloth will retain sufiicient moisture for proper development. The squeeze required for this correct amount of liquid is that which leaves the cloth just at the point where there is no appreciable drip.

The cleaning solution in tank I55 is preferably hot in order to obtain best results.

The cold water which is forced through these spray pipes is for the purpose of cooling the chamber down quickly in case of a strip-out or break in the cloth so that the rolls may be quickly rethreaded.

The jacketed trough for seals at the entrance and exit ports of the steam chamber, together with the nip rolls above them, serve a four-fold purpose. First, the seals provide means of preventing escape of steam from the chamber and of preventing entrance of air to the chamber. The former is desirable from the standpoint of work ing conditions and saving of steam, and the latter is desirable from the standpoint of providing ideal conditions for development of the dyestufi and also of saving dyestuff and reducing chemicals, the strength of which would be dissipated by the presence of air. Second, the reduced dye solution in the trough provides a booster effect which aids in the development and dyeing. In passing through the trough, a certain amount of reduced dye is washed off the cloth, previously padded with the reduced dye liquid, and thus a dye bath of a At the start of the run, therefore, the troughs are partially filled with water and sufficient reduced dye solution is added to produce the concentration which will be maintained by the washing off of the dye solution from the cloth passing through the ager. The small volume, low temperature, booster baths in the entrance and exit ports, not only aid the development of all types of vat colors on all cellulosic material, mercerized or unmercerized, but in the case of unmercerized cotton act to prevent the migration of the dye from immature. cotton fibers and thus avoid the defect of white specks in the finished dyeing.

The small volume of the. booster baths maintained in the entrance and exit trough seals is advantageous in several ways. First, there is no need of chemical feeds to maintain the concentration of caustic soda and hydrosulflte in the reduced dye solution as would be the case with large volume boosters, the amount of these chemicals washing oil! of the cloth in its passage through the trough being conditioned to maintain the necessary concentration automatically. Also, the small volume is much more easily maintained at the low temperature required in the case of certain dyestuffs, than wo uld be the case with a large volume, where the reduced dye solution is used as a seal and must, therefore, of necessity, at least to some extent, come in contact with the high temperature of the steam chamber. Also, the small volume allows contact of the cloth with the dye solution for just a small fraction of time, which although suflicient to give a booster or developing effect, is not sumcient to allow selective exhaustion which occurs in large volume boosters and which tends to show irregularities in the cloth and produce uneven dyeing.

Third, the nip rolls above the troughs remove excess dye liquid from the cloth and return it to the trough, thus maintaining the concentration of dye liquor in the troughs and avoiding wastage of dye. The nip rolls above the entrance trough are of s'ufflciently light weight to insure retention by the cloth of sufllcient liquid for proper development. Since the cloth after its initial impregnation with the dyestufl is given a hard squeeze in order to produce smooth and well penetrated dyeings, and after emerging from the trough'seal at the entrance port is given a light squeeze, it follows that more liquid is bein removed from the entrance trough .by the cloth than is being brought in by the cloth and, therefore, the liquid level in the entrance trough would soon drop below the point at which it provided a seal. This condition is taken care of, partly by condensation of steam which is in contact with part of the liquid in the trough and partly by the cold water feed, which is regulated by the level control.

Fourth, the water jackets and the hollow rolls in the entrance and exit troughs provide a means of regulating the temperature of the trough in accordance with the requirements of the various vat dyestufis. Since part of the liquor in the trough is in contact with the high temperature steam atmosphere of the chamber, the temperature of the trough would normally be quite high. In the case of vat blue dyestuffs mentioned above, that is dyestufls in the classes represented by color index numbers 1113 and 1114, it is necessary to keep the temperature between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit in order to avoid decomposition of reduced dye. It is perhaps not fully understood but nevertheless demonstrable fact, that when cloth is passed through a reduced dye solution of either of the aforementioned two classes of dyes which have been allowed to stand too long at too high a temperature, the-true shade of the dyestufl will not be produced. 011 the other hand, if cloth is passed through a solution of one of these dyes which has been maintained at proper temperature, given a light squeeze, and then passed into a high temperature atmosphere, such as an atmosphere of steam, the dye on the cloth is not adversely affected but will develop to its true shade. It has been shown that. once the properly reduced dye has been applied to the cloth,- it is not adversely affected by high temperature atmosphere and will develop to its true shade provided it does not subsequently, before oxidization. come into contact with a reducing bath in which the dye has been decomposed by too high a temperature.

Although the foregoing has, for the most part, described an apparatus for developing vat colors which have been applied to the material tobe dyed in a reduced or soluble form, it applies equally well to the development of vat colors which have been applied to the material in pigment form, either subsequently dried or not, the reducing agents and alkali being applied to the dye impregnated material in the pad in front of the steam chamber, and then passed into the chamber through the entrance trough seal in a manner somewhat similar to that described in my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 537,040 and 606,306, both now abandoned. The diflerence between this present application and the applications above referred to with regard to the development of material impregnated with pigment vat dyes is that this application provides means for maintaining in the troughs low temperatures required for the dyeing of certain types of vat colors, and also provides nip rolls of such weight over the entrance trough seal as to insure retention by the cloth of sufllcient liquid to give proper-development. In my co-pending applications above referred to, no provision is made for regulating the temperature at the entrance seal trough, and the nip rolls above the entrance are of such weight that insufflcient liquid is retained by the cloth for proper development, the excess moisture required being provided by means of troughs inside the ager. This is a satisfactory arrangement for certain vat colors but not for the aforementioned blues asit would be impossible to keep the temperature of troughs inside the steam chamber at -alow enough temperature to avoid decomposition of the dye. Furthermore, the lack of any squeeze above these troughs would require that a large volume of water be fed to the troughs to maintain a constant level and, therefore, concentration of dye in the troughs would be too low, 'due to the constant dilution, to have any booster effect, and in the case of unmercerized cotton, the immature fibers would not be sufliciently well covered.

Furthermore, in the arrangement whereby the reducing chemicals are applied in the entrance trough seal itself, rather than in the pad in front of the steam chamber, as described in referred to applications, the full advantages derived from the booster efiects of the reduced dye solution in the entrance trough seal are lost. This arrangement has little adverse efiect on the dyeing of certain vat colors, especially on mercerized material, but with vat colors requiring low temperature baths, and with certain ,vat colors which have little or no aillnity for immature fibers in unmercerized material, it would not be suitable.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that this apparatus is very flexible as it provides means for producing optimum conditions for the development on any cellulosic material, mercerlzed or unmercerized, of all the various types of vat colors, whether applied to the material to be dyed in the pigment or in the reduced state, thereby producing dyeings of highest quality with regard to fastness and appearance. The apparatus, in addition to being flexible, is very simple, requiring no special skill in operation, as the only controls required are the maintenance of a constant level and a constant temperature of the booster solutions in the troughs and these are controlled automatically.

The question might, be raised by someone not familiar with the dyeing of vat colors as to why the dye is not applied to the material to be dyed in the entrance trough seal itself rather than in a separate pad outside the steam chamber. The answer is that when vat colors are initially applied to cloth and the like, the material impregnated with the dye solution should be given a hard squeeze in order to produce even dyeing and maximum penetration of the dye, thus aiding in producing dyeings of good appearance and fastness. If the material, or particularly unmercerized cotton, were given this hard squeeze after impregnation with the dyestuff solution in the entrance trough and then passed directly into the steam atmosphere, the immature fibers would not be dyed and there would not be sufficient liquid present in the material to give a proper development of the dye, thus not producing full value from the dyestuff used. Furthermore, the booster effect of the reduced dye liquor in the trough on the cloth previously impregnated with the vat dye solution, produces a fuller development than would be obtained without it. also resulting in greater value being derived from the dyestuff. These facts hold true in the case of some vat dyestuffs to a greater extent than in the case of others, but in all cases-the booster and the light squeeze after the cloth emerges from the entrance trough seal, are an advantage,-

and in some cases, especially in the dyeing of unmercerized cotton, absolutely necessary for the production of acceptable dyeings from the standpoint of money value and appearance.

In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of my invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limita tion, the scopeof the invention being defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A steam aging box having an entrance port and an exit port, a jacketed trough disposed in each of said ports and the end walls of the box extending downwardly into the trough below the liquid level in the trough to seal the inside of the 'box against outside atmosphere, each 'of said troughs having a hollow apron extending therefrom and communicating with the jacket surrounding the trough, a hollow immersion roller disposed in each trough and thermal controlled means for passing a cooling fluid through the immersion roller and through the interior of the apron and through the jacket surrounding the trough to lower the temperature in the liquid in the troughs, a jacket disposed immediately above the trough, means for passing a cooling liquid therethrough to maintain a low temperature therein, means for applying a dyestuif to the cloth on the exterior of the box, a pair of squeeze rolls *for squeezing the dye into the cloth before it enters the box, means disposed within the box for directing the cloth from the entrance port to the exit port. means for maintaining a constant liquid level of the solution in the jacketed troughs, a pair of nip rolls associated with the apron of each trough for squeezing excess liquid from the cloth and allowing it to fall on said apron or to be projected against said 12 Jacket disposed above the trough for cooling the 'dyestuif as it is squeezed from the cloth, and a steam coil disposed in the bottom of the box for heating liquid contained therein for creating steam vapors on the inside of the box.

2. A steam ager for cloth comprising a closed compartment having an entrance port and an exit port, each port having a vane extending downwardly into the same and having a trough into which the vane extends, the trough being adapted to contain a booster solution for the dyestuff, means. for impregnating the cloth with dyestuff prior to its entrance into the trough. each trough having therein a hollow immersion roller for immersing the cloth in the booster solution, each trough having a jacket surrounding the same anda hollow apron extending along one side of the trough, squeeze rolls disposed above the hollow extension for extracting surplusliquid from the cloth and allowing it to fall onto the apron, a hollow member disposed adjacent to each of the squeeze rolls and against which the liquid may spray when extracted from the cloth by passing through the squeeze rolls, means for passing a cooling liquid through the jacketed troughs and their aprons and through the hollow immersion rollers and through the hollow member adjacent the squeeze rollers for maintaining a low temperature in the solution in the jacketed troughs, a constant level means for maintaining a constant level of the solution in the jacketed troughs, means for moving the cloth through the compartment, and means for heating water disposed in the bottom of the compartment.

3. Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a compartment having an entrance port and an exit port and a trough disposed in each port and a vane extending from the top of the ports down into the troughs so that a liquid in the troughs will provide a liquid air seal to the entrance and exit ports, a plurality of top and bottom rolls over which the cloth is passed as it travels through the compartment, means for applying a dyestuiT to the cloth immediately before it enters the entrance port, each of the troughs in the entrance and exit ports having a jacket therearound, a hollow immersion roll disposed in each trough and beneath which the cloth is passed as it passes through the two ports, a water jacket associated with the vane sealing the port, each of the troughs having a hollow apron extending therefrom and squeeze rolls disposed above the apron so that liquid extracted from the cloth will fall onto the apron, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the two troughs, temperature controlled means for automatically passing a cooling liquid through the jacket associated with each trough and through the immersion rollers to maintain a constant temperature in the troughs.

4. Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a compartment having an entrance port and an exit port and a trough disposed in each port, means for moving the cloth through the compartment, means for applying a dyestuff to the cloth immediately before it enters the entrance port, each of the troughs in the entrance and exit ports having a jacket therearound, a hollow immersion roller disposed in each trough and beneath which the cloth is passed as it passes through the ports, a Water jacket disposed above the troughs, each of the troughs having a hollow apron extending therefrom and squeeze rolls disposed above the apron so that liquid extracted iiromthe cloth will fall onto the apron or project against the water jacket disposed above the troughs, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the two troughs, temperature control means for automatically passing-a cooling liquid through the jacket associated with each trough of the compartment adapted to be surrounded by water for creating steam vapors for enveloping the cloth as it passes through the compartment.

5. Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a closed compartment, a dye pad through which I outside atmosphere, said troughs having a jacket surrounding the lower and side portions of the same, a hollow immersion roller disposed in each of the troughs and beneath which the cloth is passed as it enters and leaves the compartment, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the troughs, thermally controlled means for passing a cooling agent through the jacket surrounding the troughs and through the immersion rollers for maintaining a constant temperature in the liquid in the troughs. said compartment having means therein for moving the cloth through the compartment. v

6. A steam aging box having an entrance port and an exit port, a jacketed trough disposed in each of said ports, each of said troughs having a hollow apron extending therefrom and communicating with the jacket surrounding the trough, a hollow immersion roller disposed in each trough and thermal controlled means for passing a cooling fluid through the immersion roller and through the interior of the apron and through the jacket surrounding the trough to maintain an even temperature in the liquid in the troughs, a jacket disposed immediately above the trough, means for passing a cooling liquid therethrough to maintain a low temperature therein, means for applying a dyestufi to the cloth on the exterior of the box, the box having therein a plurality of top rolls and a plurality of bottom rolls overwhich the cloth is passed in its travel from its entrance port to the exit port, means for positively driving one of the sets of rolls for advancing the cloth therethrough, means for maintaining a constant liquid level of a solution in the jacketed troughs, a pair of nip rolls associated with the apron of each trough for squeezing excess liquid from the cloth and allowing it to fall on said apron or to be projected against said Jacket disposed above the trough for cooling the dyestuff as it is squeezed from the cloth, and a steam coil disposed in the bottom of the box for heating liquid contained therein for creating steam vapors on the inside of the box.

7. A steam ager for cloth comprising a closed compartment having an entrance port and an exit port, each port having a trough; the troughs being adapted to contain a solution, means for impregnating the cloth with dyestufi prior to its entrance into the trough, each trough having therein a hollow immersion roller for immersing the cloth in the solution, each trough having a jacket surrounding the same and a hollow apron extending along one side of the trough and extending into the compartment, squeeze rolls disposed above the hollow apron for extracting surplus liquid from the cloth and allowing it to fall onto the apron, a hollow member disposed adjacent to each of the squeeze rolls and against which the liquidmay spray when extracted from the cloth by passing through the squeezearolls, and means for passing a cooling liquid through the jacketed troughs and their aprons and through the hollow immersion rollers and through the chamber adjacent the squeeze rollers for maintaining a low temperature in the solution in the jacketed troughs, and a steam coil disposed at the bottom of the chamber for heating water disposed in the bottom thereof.

8. Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a compartment having an entrance port and an exit port and a trough disposed in each port,

'a plurality of top and bottom rolls over which the cloth is passed as it travels through the compartment, means forapplying a dyestuff to the cloth immediately before it enters the entrance port, each of the troughs 'in the entrance and exit ports having a jacket therearound, a hollow immersion roll disposed in each trough and beneath which the cloth is passed as it passes through the two ports, each of the troughs having a hollow apron extending therefrom and squeeze rolls disposed above the apron so that liquid extracted from the cloth will fall onto the apron, means for-maintaining a constant liquid level in the two troughs, temperature controlled means for automatically passing a cooling liquid through the jacket associated with each trough and through the immersion rollers to maintain a constant temperature in the troughs.

Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a compartment having an entrance port and an exit port and a trough disposed in each port, a

plurality of top and bottom rolls over which the cloth is passed as it travels through the compartment, means for applying a dyestufi to the cloth immediately before it enters the entrance port, each of the troughs in the entrance and exit ports having a jacket therearound, a hollow immersion roller disposed in each trough and beneath which the cloth is passed as it passes through the ports, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the two troughs, temperature control means for automatically passing a cooling liquid through the jacket associated with each trough and through the immersion rollers to maintain a constant temperature of the liquid in the troughs, and a steam coil disposed in the bottom of the compartment adapted to be surrounded by water for creating steam vapors for enveloping the cloth as it passes through the compartment.

10. Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a closed compartment, a dye pad through which the cloth is passed immediately before it enters the compartment, said compartment having an 76 troughs, thermally controlled means for passing a cooling agent through the jacket surrounding the troughs and through the immersion rollers for maintaining a constant temperature in the liquid in the troughs.

11. A steam ager for cloth comprising a closed compartment having an entrance port and an exit port, each port having a vane extending downwardly into the same and having a trough into which the vane extends, the trough being adapted to contain a sealing solution, means for impregnating the cloth with dyestufl prior to its entrance into the trough, each trough having therein an immersion roller for immersing the cloth in the solution, each trough having a Jacket surrounding the same and a hollow apron extending along one side of the trough, squeeze rolls disposed above the hollow extension for extracting surplus liquid from the cloth and a1- lowing it to fall onto the apron, a hollow member disposed adjacent to each of the squeeze rolls and against which the liquid may spray when extracted from the cloth by passing through the squeeze rolls, means for passing a cooling liquid through the jacketed troughs and their aprons and through the hollow member adjacent the squeeze rollers for maintaining a low temperature in the solution in the jacketed troughs, a constant level means for maintaining a constant level of the solution in the jacketed troughs, means for moving the cloth through the compartment, and means for heating Water disposed in the bottom of the compartment.

12. Apparatus for treating cloth comprising a compartment having an entrance port and an exit port and a trough disposed in each port and a vane extending from the top of the ports down into the troughs so that a liquid in the troughs will provide a liquid air seal to the entrance and exit ports, a plurality of top and bottom rolls over which the cloth is passed as it travels through the compartment, means for applying a dyestufi to the cloth immediately before it enters the entrance port, each of the troughs in the entrance and exit ports having a jacket therearound, an immersion roll disposed in each trough and beneath which the cloth is passed 16 as it passes through the two ports, each of the troughs having a hollow apron extending therefrom and squeeze rolls disposed above the trough so that liquid extracted from the cloth will fall into the trough, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the two troughs, and temperature controlled means for automatically passing a cooling liquid through/the jacket associated with each trough to maintain a constant temperature in the troughs.

13. Apparatus for-treating cloth comprising a closed compartment, a dye pad. through which the cloth is passed immediately before it enters the compartment, said compartment having an entrance port and an exit port, a trough for containing a solution disposed in each of the ports and a van'e associated with the walls or the compartment and projecting down below the liquid level in the entrance and exit troughs for sealing the interior of the compartment against outside atmosphere, said troughs having a jacket surrounding the lower and side portions of the same, an immersion roller disposed in each of the troughs and beneath which the cloth is passed as it enters and leaves the compartment, means for maintaining a constant liquid level in the troughs, thermally controlled means for passing a cooling agent through the jacket surrounding the troughs for maintaining a constant temperature in the liquid in the troughs, said compartment having means therein for moving the cloth through the compartment.

SHERMAN CONVERSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,949 Seither Nov. 5, 1901 761,107 Rovira May 31, 1904 996,642 Henderson July 4, 1911 1,738,947 Chapin Dec. 10, 1929 1,861,623 Chapin et a1. June '7, 1932 1,861,624 Chapin et a1 June 7, 1932 

